There Is No Sejong In My Joseon [EN]: Chapter 171

Indeed, the best club of all is the Old Wife Club.

Although Queen Dowager Kim was usually reserved and didn’t step forward, she wouldn’t stay out of something that could unexpectedly overturn the hierarchy of the Inner Court.

‘It’s similar to how even a father-in-law or brother-in-law can’t easily ignore the eldest daughter-in-law of the head family.’

Wonyeong Queen finally issued the edict, but Princess Won didn’t have time to feel joy before rushing to the Middle Palace to thank the Queen Dowager and the Queen.

“…I am truly grateful to Your Majesty and the Queen Dowager for allowing me to enjoy such glory today.”

Princess Won, or rather, Concubine Seong, prostrated herself as soon as she understood the situation.

She outwardly showed no resentment, but… could she really not have dreamed of becoming Grand Queen Dowager, even by 1%?

‘As time passed, there would have been public opinion that she should be recognized as the consort of the Retired King.’

Even though she wasn’t formally appointed, this wasn’t an era where the legal system was firmly established.

However, today’s events completely shattered that dream.

By rushing to thank the Queen Dowager and the Queen first, she had publicly acknowledged that she was below these two.

“They say Concubine Seong swore to serve the Queen with utmost devotion.”

“I heard that the Queen Dowager was furious, but the Queen appeased her and had her appointed as Concubine Seong. Isn’t that only natural?”

“Even a commoner’s wife would find it hard to be so generous to a concubine, but the Queen is truly magnanimous.”

People repeatedly praised Wonyeong Queen.

The rumors that the Queen was jealous and had a strong sense of pride, which had been widely circulating, were largely dispelled by this.

‘Well, it’s true, though.’

“It turned out as you said. It feels like a tooth that had been aching has finally been pulled.”

Wonyeong Queen said with a smile.

Concubine Seong, who had been in a subtle state of confrontation, was now firmly recognized as her subordinate, and she was able to maintain a positive image.

And the biggest gain was something else entirely.

It was that she had used this opportunity to bring even the Queen Dowager over to her side.

Perhaps the shared sympathy between sisters-in-law played a big role.

‘Both my father and my uncle are quite fond of women.’

That’s what I thought.

Both of them had experience with their wives suffering, so it was easy for them to unite.

Anyway, the Queen Dowager’s influence blocked even Yi Bang-won and Yi Seong-gye’s interference, so she might frequently use the Queen Dowager’s shield from now on.

‘If she uses it too often, it won’t be effective.’

As I was about to express my concern to my mother, Wonyeong Queen said,

“We’ve decided to raise Consort Hyo’s rank.”

“Hyo Bin?”

She was once a maid she regarded as her youngest sister, but she betrayed her and became Yi Bang-won’s concubine, making them no different from enemies.

Among the countless concubines, she was even raising the rank of the woman Wonyeong Queen hated the most.

I was truly shocked.

‘Even if she’s trying to maintain her image, isn’t this going too far?’

Given Wonyeong Queen’s usual personality, she would never do this.

However, Wonyeong Queen seemed to have learned something while carrying out this operation.

“I’ve only given Hyo Bin trivial tasks suitable for a maid, but I think I was wrong.”

The duties of the concubines are not limited to serving the king.

Just as the Queen oversees the affairs of the Inner Court, the concubines also take on various tasks.

A typical task is to take charge of ancestral rites or welcoming guests, or to prepare the king and queen’s bedchamber.

However, this only applies to those with some experience and high rank. Lower-ranking palace maids are in charge of preparing food, side dishes, or making clothes.

Someone like Hyo Bin Kim should have graduated from doing the kind of chores that these palace maids would do, but at this point in time, when the legal system hasn’t been properly established, she has to do whatever the Queen tells her to do.

“So, until now, I’ve given her chores that palace maids would do, but she’s truly cunning.”

Wonyeong Queen said, grinding her teeth.

“When I first sent her to the embroidery room, she cleverly nursed the embroidery room maids who were injured by the sewing machines to gain their favor. So I sent her back to the kitchen, and she personally demonstrated her wicked cooking skills to satisfy your father!”

“······.”

She’s just kind-hearted and good at cooking.

“Since she’s been working in the kitchen since she was young, it can’t be helped, can it?”

“But now that she has the highest rank among the concubines, she can no longer take on such tasks.

Do you know what kind of work is usually assigned to such a concubine?”

I swallowed hard.

The concubines with the highest rank assist the Queen and advise on etiquette.

But for Hyo Bin Kim, who came from a maid background, to advise my mother, who is from a prestigious family, on etiquette…

It was like an elementary school student tutoring a student from a prestigious university.

“There’s no way that child can do this properly. When your father sees Hyo Bin’s ignorance, won’t his passionate affection cool down? The recognition she has received from people will disappear like bubbles! Ohohoho!”

Wonyeong Queen covered her mouth with a folding fan and laughed evilly.

I was impressed by my mother’s growth.

‘Now, Mother knows how to use her head.’

I was surprised that she suddenly raised Hyo Bin’s rank, but behind the scenes, she had such an evil plan.

I was so touched that I almost cried.

To come up with the idea of promoting a concubine and then tormenting her from the side.

I chuckled slyly and chimed in.

“Hehehe, Mother’s words are so right.”

I didn’t care whether Hyo Bin Kim was pushed out or not, but I liked that she wasn’t using external forces.

‘At this rate, there’s no need to worry about my maternal family getting involved and getting crushed by Father.’

That’s what I thought.

At the same time, I briefly mourned for Hyo Bin Kim in my heart.

I’ll take good care of your half-sibling.

===

Now that the Concubine Seong issue was settled, I thought it was time to return to Gaeseong, but Yi Bang-won held me back.

“Choe Yun-deok, the Military Commissioner of the Northern Frontier, reports that Manho [chieftain] Menggacheopmok-a wishes to go to Japan.”

I had no choice but to attend the court and participate in state affairs.

It was because of Yi Bang-won’s strict orders.

I stood below the jade throne and quietly watched Yi Bang-won handle state affairs.

“Menggacheopmok-a has been gathering the Jurchens and has finally reached his limit.”

Yi Bang-won said.

The plan to send Meonteomu to Ouchi [a powerful Japanese clan] with the cooperation of Pancha was progressing steadily.

Meonteomu absorbed the Jurchens who had migrated from Palcham and ambitiously expanded his power, but naturally, the output did not increase in proportion.

To solve this, he actively reached out to Hosi and Yeojingu, in addition to the farming methods provided by Joseon, but there were limits.

In this situation, Pancha, who was sitting in Hanyang [the capital of Joseon], actively amplified the complaints that had begun to surface.

“Other tribes are developing day by day, but why is Hoeryeong so lacking in food and clothing?”

“I heard that Samsan, where Iribuka is, receives ample grain and clothing from Joseon every season…”

“If I had known this, I would have gone to Samsan instead of Hoeryeong!”

“What has the magistrate been doing all this time?”

“Shouldn’t the magistrate take action?”

“Y-you dare! The Military Commissioner made excuses and gave priority to supplying goods to Samsan. What am I supposed to do!”

Meonteomu was a chieftain, but he was far from being a monarch who could reign like a king.

In this situation, when the Military Commissioner, who was in charge of Hosi [border markets] and relief, began to shake things up from behind, Meonteomu’s leadership was bound to be significantly damaged.

‘It’s half his own fault.’

He indiscriminately brought in Jurchen tribes with different origins under the pretext of expanding his power.

They turned their backs on Meonteomu as soon as he was in crisis.

“In this situation, Beomchal (Pancha) sent a letter recommending him to go to the Ouchi clan, so he had no choice but to accept it.”

I said in a small voice, and Yi Bang-won smiled.

If things continued like this, the tribe would be torn to pieces, and he would be completely out of the center of power.

It was wiser to step down temporarily, go to Japan to earn money to win back the people’s hearts, and create a justification for his return.

“It’s a great thing for us to keep our promise with the Ouchi clan and eliminate a dangerous element.”

“He’s moving with the goods to be sent to the Ouchi clan? Is there a problem?”

The Seongchung project was progressing smoothly.

First, 1,000 *geun* [a unit of weight] of gunpowder was piled up on Tsushima Island across the sea, and about a hundred horses grazing on the ranch created there were also scheduled to be transported.

“There’s no problem, although I played a little trick.”

I said with a grin.

There was one blind spot that the Ouchi clan missed when signing the contract.

That was that all the horses being exported were castrated stallions.

It was to prevent the Ouchi clan from using them as breeding stallions.

Strictly speaking, it wasn’t a breach of contract.

‘I only said I would sell warhorses, but I didn’t say they had their equipment attached.’

Even castrated horses could be used as warhorses without any problems, and they were easier to manage because they were more docile than uncastrated ones.

‘So they have nothing to say.’

In fact, the Ouchi clan was the weaker party, so it was a matter of course that they couldn’t say anything even if they had something to say.

Yi Bang-won narrowed his eyes as he looked at me, who had used my head properly.

“So, you were the one who taught the Queen the plan…”

“Yes? What are you talking about?”

I tilted my head with an innocent expression.

I don’t know anything.

“Oh, never mind. You should be satisfied that Concubine Seong has been appointed anyway.”

After all, Yi Bang-won had no intention of serving her as Grand Queen Dowager.

So, in the end, it was fair to say that everything was done according to Yi Bang-won’s wishes.

I helped my father, but I never betrayed him.

“Aren’t you more satisfied with the other gains?”

That Concubine Hyo’s rank was raised.

“Don’t talk nonsense and focus on state affairs.”

Then Yi Bang-won asked.

“Who will take over the position of the chieftain when Menggacheopmok-a leaves?”

“I humbly leave it to the will of the court…”

When Ji Shin-sa said this, the officials shared their opinions.

Many suggested appointing his brother Pancha, who was serving in a government post in Hanyang, as Manho and sending him.

It was because they naively accepted Menggacheopmok-a’s words that he would sincerely leave the decision to the court.

“Your Majesty, as I am responsible for the heavy duties of serving the court, it is difficult for me to act as Manho.”

Pancha stepped forward and said.

“Then who would you like to recommend?”

When Yi Bang-won asked, Pancha nodded.

“My nephew Ago is still young, but as the eldest son, he is qualified to succeed his brother. Let him act as Manho, and send a government official from the court to assist him.”

This was a compromise that was reached after fierce negotiations and exchanges of opinions with Meonteomu.

‘What power does the young Ago have to govern the tribe?’

Then, the Joseon official who was in charge of assisting would effectively be in charge of governing.

However, Meonteomu had no choice but to welcome this.

‘His position has to be there when he returns.’

If his brother or some other strange guy becomes the chieftain, his dream of returning will be gone forever.

However, if a Joseon official, who had only come to the north by order of the court, held the real power, it would be easier to keep those guys in check.

If his young son is the acting Manho, the justification for his return will still be alive.

The problem is, who on earth is going to go…

The young officials all began to avoid Yi Bang-won’s eyes.

End

ⓒ Pitkong